Lens cap for camera

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a lens cap for camera having a window through which the date or data of photographing carried by a dial or dials can be photographed on the film of a camera with said lens cap on.

United States Patent [151 3,682,055 Okano et a]. 1451 Aug. 8, 1972 LENSCAP FOR CAMERA [56] References Cited [72] Inventors: Takeshi OkanoAmagasaki;

M asakazu g y both of UNITED STATES PATENTS Japan 2,608,919 9/1952Kramer ..95/ 1.1 [73] Assignee: Konan C m Laboratory Com 3,082,4243/1963 Laird ..95/1.l X Limited Kobe Ja an 3,046,857 7/1962 Kargl ..95/1.1 my p 1,117,159 11/1914 B0131 ..95/1.1 [22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1970Prima Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews 2 1] Appl No 6070 AssistantExaminer-Michael L. Gellner Attorney-Otto John Munz [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data Jan. 31, 1969 Japan ..44/9060 [57] ABSTRACTJan. 31, Japan The present invention provides a lens cap for camerahaving a window through which the date or data of [52] U.S. Cl ..95/ 1.1photographing carried by a dia] dials can be h {2%}F';|l1';;1;1;:::;..................JJJJJJJY???QEZQ??graphedmmmdmmmmmaidhmP 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUBBIBYZ3.682.055

FIG. 2 FIG. 4

2 7 i 3 lp \24 2| INVENTOR S TAKESHI OKANO MASAKAZU NAGAI ATTORNEY 1LENS CAP FOR CAMERA The present invention relates to a lens cap for acamera. The prior art relating to lens caps only protects thephotographing lens when the camera is not in operation. As of date,there has not been a lens cap arrangement produced which records on thefilm the date or data of photographing or like characters.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lenscap capable of not only protecting the lens, but also permitting suchrecords as the date or data of photographing to be photographed on thefilm.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lens caparrangement in a photographic camera having a housing for containingfilm wherein data may be recorded on the film by its mere exposure. Alens cap is mounted on the housing. The cap is shaped in the form of ahollow cylinder having an inner surface and an outer surface. Thecylinder has an open end and includes a circular bottom plate forclosing the other end. The bottom plate has a recess offset from thecenter of the circular bottom plate. A window is provided in the recessfor permitting the entrance of light beams through the window. A lens isconcentrically mounted with respect to the inner cylindrical surface andis arin use.

By turning the dial rings-5, 6 and 7, the figures indicating the date ofphotographing are positioned into the window 4 provided in the tube 2 ofthe lens cap 1. Then the lens cap 1 is mounted on the photographing lensof a camera loaded with film. When the window 4 of the lens cap 1 isfaced toward the light and the camera shutter is released at a suitableexposure value, the external light passes through the dial rings 5, 6and 7 in the window 4 is reflected by the reflector 9 to the lens 12.The light then passes further through the photographing lens of thecamera to the film. Thus, the date of photographing that is selected byviewing through the window 4 is photographed on the film. ltis a matterofcommon knowledge that the lens cap 1 does protect the photographinglens when the camera is not While the above-mentioned lens cap hasillustrated in FIG. 2 a45-inclined reflector at the middle on the insidesurface of the bottom plate, a reflector inclined at suitable anglesother than 45 may be arranged at other suitable positions than themiddle on the inside surface of the bottom plate, depending on thedistance ranged in axial alignment with the window for per- I mittingthe passage of the light beams from the window to the film. A pluralityof dial rings is rotatably mounted in the recess. The rings havemultiple rotatably settable members of the type in which each settablemember may be independently chosen and revolved to a selected one of aplurality of set positions. Each of the rings have offset portions fortightly engaging one another to provide a compact manipulatable dataarrangement within said recess.

The invention consists in the novel combination of a data carrying lenscap positioned in the ray path traversing a camera body so that uponexposure of the film the selected data on the lens cap arephotographically recorded on the film. Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the following description inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which like referencenumerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures, andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the lens cap according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the lens cap of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of another embodiment of the lens cap accordingto the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the lens cap of FIG. 3.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a window 4 is formed in the peripheralsurface of a bottomed cylindrical shaped lens cap 1, on which an offsetshoulder 3 is provided. Rotatably fitted on the offset shoulder 3 aredata carrying dial rings 5, 6 and 7, said data being opposite a window4. A stopper ring 13 is fixed on the bottom side end of a tubularstructure 2 of the cap 1.

Arranged at the middle on the inside surface of the bottom plate 8 ofthe lens cap 1 are a reflector or mirror 9 opposite to the window 4 at.an angle of 45 and a lens tube 10 that is shorter than the tube 2 andthat has a hole 11 positioned opposite to the window 4. A lens 12 isarranged at the end of the lens tube 1.0. The dial rings are coloredmilk-white. The ring 5 carries the days, 6 the months and 7 the years.

between lens and dial or the position where the image is to bephotographed on the film. In such instances, the lens is arranged in thepath of light from the reflector. Instead of the date of photographing,other suitable photographic data may be marked on the dial rings. Thisdata may be black and the figures may be marked in white.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of the lens cap according to thepresent invention. A window 23 is formed at the middle of the bottomplate 22 of a cylindrical shaped cap-21. A lens tube 24 that is shorterthan the tube of the cap 21 and that has a lens 24 at one end isarranged at the inside edge of the window 23. Provided on the externalsurface of the bottom plate 22 is a circular recess 26 the center ofwhich lies between the center and the circumference of the bottom plate22 and the radius of which covers the window 23. Annular dials 27, 28and 29 are rotatably mounted in the recess and having multiple rotatablysettable members of the type in which each settable member may beindependently chosen and revolved to a selected one of a plurality ofset positions and is constructed 26 in the following way: An annulardial 27 having an outer radius equal to the radius of the recess 26 andprovided upwardly on the outer periphery with a projection and on theinner periphery with an offset is first inserted into the recess 26.Then an annular dial 28 whose shape is the same as the annular dial 27and whose outer radius is equal to the inner radius of the dial 27 isfitted in the inner diameter of the dial 27 in such a way that theoffset of the dial 27 is held by the projection of the dial 28. A thirdannular dial 29 is further inserted into the inner diameter of the dial28 in the same way as above. The offset of ,the dial 29 is held by theflat head of a flat head screw 30, which is screwed into the innerdiameter of the dial 29 for fixing the dials to the bottom plate 22.Part of the dial figures are positioned to face the I window 23. Thedial 27 carries the days, 28 the months and 29 the years on themilk-white background.

The date of photographing is selected by viewing through the window 23provided in the bottom plate 22 of the lens cap 21 and by grasping thedials 27, 28 and 29 by the projections and turning them. After the lenscap 21 is attached on the photographing lens of a camera loaded withfilm, the camera is faced toward the light and the camera shutter isreleased at a suitable exposure value. The date of photographing is thusphotographed on the film in the same way as described before.

What is claimed is:

1. In a photographic camera having a housing for containing film whereindata is recorded on the film by its exposure, a lens cap mounted on saidhousing, said cap being shaped in the form of a hollow cylinder havingan inner surface and an outer surface, said cylinder having an open endand including a circular bottom plate for closing the other end, saidbottom plate having a recess offset from the center of said circularbottom plate;

a window provided in said recess for permitting the entrance of lightbeams through said window;

1. In a photographic camera having a housing for containing film whereindata is recorded on the film by its exposure, a lens cap mounted on saidhousing, said cap being shaped in the form of a hollow cylinder havingan inner surface and an outer surface, said cylinder having an open endand including a circular bottom plate for closing the other end, saidbottom plate having a recess offset from the center of said circularbottom plate; a window provided in said recess for permitting theentrance of light beams through said window; a lens concentricallymounted with respect to said inner cylindrical surface and arranged inaxial alignment with said window for permitting the passage of the lightbeams from the window to the film; a plurality of dial rings rotatablymounted in said recess, said rings having multiple rotatably settablemembers of the type in which each settable member may be independentlychosen and revolved to a selected one of a plurality of set positions;each of said rings having offset portions for tightly engaging oneanother to provide a compact manipulatable data arrangement within saidrecess.